Jobless figure falls by 10,000 in South West

The Westcountry boasts a "dynamic" economy despite a round of job losses in the region, the employment minister has said.

Official figures yesterday showed national unemployment fell by 37,000 in the latest quarter to just under 2.5 million, the lowest since spring 2011.

South West unemployment fell by 10,000 to 147,000 people – meaning the region's unemployment rate was 5.5%, the lowest in the UK. But Exeter-based Flybe's announcement yesterday (see story, right) that it is to cut 95 jobs in the city followed Bideford-based manufacturer TE Connectivity revealing 250 jobs are to go.

In Devon and Cornwall, official figures showed 28,315 people were on the dole in December – 220 more than the previous month.

But Employment Minister Mark Hoban pointed to 200 jobs created in Nailsea, North Somerset, by GE Oil and Gas and 50 at Proper Cornish pasty maker in Bodmin as evidence there are "jobs being created and jobs being lost".

"The fact there are some good news stories in the South West is a reminder of how dynamic the economy in the South West can be," he added.

8 comments

i would like to add that this doesn't mention people like me. i am a single mum of four, i fell into the category where my children are deemed 'old enough' that i can go to work even though they are too old to qualify for after school clubs and daycare doesnt exist for older children. i was threatened on a fortnightly basis that i wasnt doing enough to find a job that fit in with the hours that my children were at school. all the part-time jobs with suitable hours are snapped up by younger people who can be paid less than me leaving me not many choices, the only jobs i could find would mean leaving my children to wander around town for hours till i finished work. i live rurally and for us there is no bus to collect my kids and bring them home, i was told this was an excuse!! and threatened with having all my benefit taken away. fearful of being left either in debt or homeless i looked into the self employed market only to be told by my lady at the jobcenter that this was a silly pipe dream and to get real and i would have to take a job that was unsuitable otherwise i would be pegged as not actively trying to find a job and lose my benefits. petrified i didnt know what to do so before christmas without any help or advice from the job center i DID go self employed as have many of my other 'mum friends.this qualifies me for some help without threats of having my money taken off me, i'm struggling and certainly not earning a living but for now my home is safe and we wont get kicked out for not being able to cover the rent. there are many people out there like me who on paper look like they have gone back into work and are off the jobless register because we have gone self employed but in reality we're no better off, we have just been pushed on to a different benefit system so it makes the jobless statistics look better.... please visit my page to support local businesses https://http://tinyurl.com/bdvuxnv

The Westcountry boasts a "dynamic" economy despite a round of job losses in the region, the employment minister has said. This is Cornwall
LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOl.

Wrong Sidney I did qualify and got a decent long term job at the end of it and am now retired. My concern was not for myself unlike so many today but those who have so little to look forward to - part time seasonal low paid jobs what a future.

Yet more Northcliffe media spin. Which ''Westcountry'' are we referring to here? The Government one, which stretches to Swindon - and is far closer to London than Cornwall - or Northcliffe's favoured ''Devonwall'' version?
Let's look at the facts, shall we. A quick glance at the headline would seem to suggest that all is rosy down here, but look a little closer and the truth emerges. Further down the article it actually states
''In Devon and Cornwall, official figures showed 28,315 people were on the dole in December – 220 more than the previous month.''
Break these figures down to show just Cornwall and, surprise surprise you find that;
''There was a slight increase in unemployment in Cornwall last month, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
Figures for December show 9,955 people were out of work and claiming jobseeker's allowance - 442 more than the figure of 9,513 for November 2012.''
So, unemployment actually FELL in Devon but ROSE in Cornwall. Yet another classic example of Cornwall's relative poverty being masked by it's more affluent neighbour and why this artificial ''Westcountry'' concept - so beloved of this media group - is so damaging to Cornwall and should be permanently binned.

"what people want is full time jobs with a measure of security"
If the jobs are not there, all the moaning and groaning will not make them appear. This isn't something new for Cornwall, the lack of employment, but those with a little bit of get up and go have soon found a way around it.

This is excellent news and shows that the governments policies are working. Jobsdave wants good secure well paid long term jobs, but people like jobsdave are not prepared to become educated or train in order to get them. The can't be bovvered generation are used to being handfed. And Jobsdave, if the people didn't want the jobs, they wouldn't take them.

The government uses these figures to boost its standing but what they fail to mention, especially when referring to us in Cornwall, is that most of these jobs are part time, maternity leave cover or seasonal and for the most part are very poorly paid. Somewhere in Westminster someone should realise that what people want is full time jobs with a measure of security but they don't seem to care as long as they can pump out meaningless statistics showing unemployment as falling whenin terms of real jobs it is rising every day.